What is “Fun” Supposed to Mean?

Can’t serious things be fun? It’s as if there’s some kind of inherent contradiction. Either it’s work, or it’s fun. I guess fun means anything that isn’t work…

Is this a defense mechanism? Maybe you don’t want to really commit, because then it won’t be fun? After all, if you don’t commit, you’re not putting anything on the line. If you don’t play the game, you can’t possibly lose.

Piano needs to be more fun for kids, right? Otherwise, they will quit and do something that is actually fun… (I’m not exactly clear on where the tragedy is in this)

It’s more fun when you are playing well, right? It’s also more fun when you are making fast progress, and certainly less fun when you are struggling.

But, why can’t you struggle, and still be engaged in the struggle? Why do you always have to be making progress?

So, is this concept of fun useful, or not? Try experimenting with this. Notice what effect labeling something as fun has on how you go about doing it.

If you’re practicing the piano, focus on what you’re doing. Whether it’s fun or not. If you’d rather stop and do something else, then stop and do something else. Whether or not that other thing is fun.

Michael Korman

Michael Korman plays the piano. Over the past few years, he has been working on a different approach to learning music, with a focus on mindfulness and personal values. His current project is developing ways to share this message with the rest of the world.